By: Ellie Simmers | Editor-in-Chief
On Friday, Feb. 6, 2026, alumnus Django Degree returned to campus to kick off his book tour as a part of the inaugural Presidential Leadership Summit.
Degree, a communications major, felt that it was fitting to start this new chapter of his life where he first began to find himself.
“Without Lynchburg, I feel like I wouldn’t be me. So why not start where it all began?” said Degree.
Dr. James Roux, a former professor and now friend, has had a front row seat to Degree’s growth and believes that “his experience here (University of Lynchburg) is at the heart of his journey.”
Now an influencer, author and product manager, Degree credits his time and experience at the University of Lynchburg as a stepping stone to where he is now.
In his new book, “Burn Bright, Not Out”, Degree and his co-author, James Oliver Jr., dig deeper into the mental health behind founders and the toll physically, mentally and spiritually that business startups can have.
Degree has a personal connection to this topic, as he co-founded Focus on Words, an organization that describes itself as “a community of authors, readers, founders, and creators using books to bridge human insight and AI, rejecting AI slop in favor of stories that don’t just describe the world, but reshape it.”
Since founding his company in 2023, Degree has focused on starting meaningful conversations about mental health in the business world, a topic he feels has been ignored.
However, Degree believes he couldn’t have accomplished any of this without digging deeply into subjects as he did at the University of Lynchburg.
During his visit here, Degree also visited two communications classes. Evan Gates, a senior journalism and public relations student in one of those classes, felt inspired by hearing the alumni speak.
“It’s special to see a Lynchburg alum experience this level of success, especially when he walked a similar path in the communications field,” said Gates.
Dr. Michael Robinson, another of Degree’s former professors, appreciated the opportunity his visit provided.
“It was an opportunity for our students to see someone who, a short while ago, was literally sitting in the same seats they are sitting in now. His visit showed our students what was possible,” said Robinson.
As he continues his book tour, Degree has left behind words of wisdom for current Hornets.
“There’s more risk in not trying new things than to just keep the status quo because the world is changing so fast,” said Degree.
For more information about Django, visit his website: https://www.focusonwords.com/
